Humidifier for internal-combustion engines



W. C. KlTT HUMIDIFIER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Flled Sept 22 192Nov. 27, 1928.

Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

I 1,693,083 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. KITT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

HUMIDIFIER F OR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed September 22, 1926. Serial No. 137,080.

The object of my'invention is to provide means for adding to the gasmixture supplied to the combustion chamber or cylinders of the engine,moisture or water vapor laden air in varying volumes, such air beingconveyed directly to the intake manifold of the engine,

In order to provide the moist air, a. water retaining or absorbing meansis used within a cylinder, from which, the moist air is drawn.Heretofore fabric has been used to maintain a sufficient amount of wateror moisture to provide the moisture laden air, but this fabric is not ahigh class water retainer and soon becomes dry and hard and deterioratesquickly, preventing the desired operation of the device.

One of the salient features of my invention resides in providing asponge in the cylinder or container, the sponge being a natural waterholder or retainer, holds ample and suflicient water and moisture, sothat the moist air can always be obtained, the sponge retains itsnatural qualities; will not readily deteriorate and will always keep thedevice in first class working order by furnishing suflicient dampnessand moisture.

Y The sponge is so placed in the tank or water holding cylinder that itsgreatest number of pores are at the bottom, enabling capillaryattraction to work perfectly and thus bring the water to the top of thesponge. A sponge is a natural water holder and when in a confined tankor cylinder, the moisture from the sponge will riseand distribute itselfall over the walls of the tank; even when the device is not in use, sothat it will be ready for instant use when needed. The sponge or itsequivalent, makes this device one of great utility.

Another f eature consists in providing screens on tli' in side of thecylinder to exclude grit and dirt and the like thus preventing anyextraneous matter from entering the engine cylinders. 1 In theaccompanying drawing forming part of the specificatlon; Fig. 1, is aplanview of the device,

Fi 2, is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, an

"Fig. 3, is a plan view of the device and connections installed on amotor, the motor shown in light dotted lines, in outline only.

In the drawing, 1 illustrates a water container or reservoir which maybe of any approved form. My reservoir is generally formed of two halveswelded at middle to form an integral tank or cylinder. In the upperportion or head 2, I provide an inlet 3,

for filling as well as intake for air when valve is open.

The inlet having a downwardly depending nipple or tube 5, which passesthrough a gauge or screen, placed at the top on the inside of the tank,and at the bottom 7, I place a similar gauge or screen 8, which supportsor carries the sponge 9, which sponge extends upwardly to a pointsomewhat above the height of water gauge 12, shown by character .10.

This water gauge is of a usual type and is fastened to a fitting 13,having the opening 14 for admitting water into the gauge 12. The fitting13 also has an opening l5 which is used as a drain, when it is desiredto empty the water from the tank 1. At the outer end of water gauge 12,I place a cap 39 and form a vent or passage 40 therethrough.

' In the upper part of the head 2, I provide a valve body 16, having adownwardly extending nipple 17 which forms the air outlet opening 18 avalve 19 engages in the body 16 and has an opening 20. When the stem 21is turned to allow air to pass out through opening 22 saidair beingdrawn into cylinder 1 by suction through opening 30 of inlet 3, passesthrough screen 6, and passes out through the, opening 22 into the tube23, and

then into the intake 45 through pipe 23. A

handle 26 supported on the instrument board 27 of the vehicle is tooperate the valve by the rod 28. p

The device is supported by a bracket 29 against the dash board 30 of thevehicle. The device is designed to take off moist air and carry it totheintake manifoldwhere it is mixed with air and gasoline yapor from thecarbureter 25, thus giving a more perfect combustion and lowerconsumption of gasoline.

The air being forced thru screen 6 there is a tendency to finely dividethe same and mingle with the moisture from the sponge and the water,before it passes out through pipe 23 into intake manifold 45 and then tothe engine.

In Fig. 3, I show pipe 23 leading to the in take manifold 45 of theengine and I convey the moist air directly to the said intake manifold,in fact, this is a preferred way, as the ture which will pass into theengine and its cylinders through the intake manifold as heretoforestated and set forth, and when the valve is closed the intake of moistair will stop until the valve is again opened.

At the outer end of the gauge 12, as heretofore set forth, I place thecap 39 and form a vent for openin 40 therethrough. When the suctiontakes p ace the air in-this gauge will be drawn down through the sameand then up through sponge 9 into container 1 and into space 11, and,passing through said sponge and into said space 11, will always keep thetop of the sponge moist and also distribute moisture in said space,andthus always keep the topof the "sponge and space above it filled withmoisture, in a highly desired manner, thus.

providing a highly moist laden air for the purposes above set forth.

When the gas charges are passing into the intake manifold to the enginecylinders, and the engine is operating moisture laden air is sucked intothe intake manifold and combined with the charges of gas.

The filler 3 and the air intake 30 are formed as one, and the air intake30 is always open,

the construction being such that this result can be attained.

While I consider a sponge the best distributer of moisture for thepurpose of my invention, and while it is a preferred element in mydevice, I may use any other element for holding and diffusing the waterwhich may be found practical for the purpose.

What I claim as new and my invention and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1. A humidifier for internal combustion .engines, comprising a closedtank having upwater, a constantly open overflow device for the tank,adapted to prevent the tank from being filled beyond a'predeterminedelevation, said overflow device having its outlet arranged below the topof the tank, an absorbent mass arranged in the tank and projectingupwardly to a level beyond said overfiow device to feed moisture into aspace in the tank above said absorbent mass, said overflow device beingadapted to admit air into said tank, and valve controlled meansforfeeding moisture laden air from said space,'at an elevation above theoverflow device outlet, to the intake manifold of an engine.

3. A humidifier for internal combustion engines, comprising a tank,adapted to be filled with water up to a certain elevation, a gauge onthe tank to indicate to the operator when the water has reached thiselevation, said gauge having a constantly open port at its upper end,positioned at a lower elevation than the top of the tank, an absorbentmass in the tank projecting above the upper end of the gauge for feedingmoisture into a space at the upper end of the tank above said absorbentmass, a screen extending across the space at an elevation above the topof the gauge and dividing the interior of the tank into upper and lowerchambers, the absorbent mass being in the lower chamber, said portadapted to admit air into the lower chamber through said gauge, andvalve controlled means for glischargmg moist air from the upper cham- Intestimony whereof, I aflix my signature at the city of Cincinnati,county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, this 20 day of Septenr ber, 1926.

WILLIAM G. KIT'I.

